thousand oaks economic development strategic plan

Thousand Oaks EDSP

Thousand Oaks Economic Development Strategic Plan

7 November 2017KOSMONT COMPANIES 1601 N. Sepulveda, #382, Manhattan Beach, CA

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Thousand Oaks Economic Development Strategic Plan

Baseline Assessment of Conditions that Drive the Economy in Thousand Oaks and

Economic Development Implement Strategies for Future Vitality.

Kosmont Companies Staff:

Larry J. Kosmont, CRE, Pres. & CEO

Brian Moncrief, Senior Vice President

Tom Jirovsky, Senior Consultant

Brandon Phipps, Vice President

Thousand Oaks Staff:

Andrew Powers, City Manager

Mark Towne, Community Dev. Dir.

Haider Alawami, E.D. Manager

Cynthia Rodriguez, City Clerk

Thousand Oaks City Council:

Claudia Bill-de la Pena, Mayor

Andrew Fox, Mayor Pro Tem

Joel Price, Councilmember

Al Adam, Councilmember

Rob McCoy, Councilmember

Thousand Oaks Planning Commission:

David Newman, Chair

Doug Nickles, Vice Chair

Andrew Pletcher, Commissioner

Sharon McMahon, Commissioner

Dan Lanson, Commissioner

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………….………………………………...………..4-9

1. INTRODUCTION..…………………………………………………………………...…..…….……10-15

2. COMMUNITY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES………………………………………………………16-19

3. LOCAL PLANNING INITIATIVES……………………………………………………………..…..20-28

4. CURRENT CONDITIONS …………….......………………………….………………….…...…...29-40

5. SWOT ANALYSIS………………………………………………………………..………………….41-46

6. CASE STUDIES & LESSONS LEARNED…………………………..……………………………47-58

7. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS & APPROACHES……………………….....................59-70

8. RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTION PLAN………………………………………...………..........71-74

9. APPENDICES...……………………….……………………………………………..……………...75-91

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Thousand Oaks, which lies in the heart of the Conejo Valley and the northwestern part of theGreater Los Angeles Area, over the years has exhibited a vital entrepreneurial spirit embellished bythe expansive development of high-tech and medical product industries. The City’s robust andgenerally upscale suburban character has several unique features; home to California LutheranUniversity, a major regional shopping center and auto mall, a major transportation corridor – US 101Freeway, and is in close proximity to primary community attractions including open space andrecreational amenities.

The City has achieved relative economic success through the successful master planning effortadopted in the 1970’s. Still, the future for Thousand Oaks is a harvest of challenges, some of whichare practically unavoidable as the digital economy converts the lifestyles and social patterns ofevery generation. With today’s consumer’s using online websites for purchasing clothing, shoes anda broad array of soft goods, and with groceries next on the internet horizon (Amazon/Whole Foods),even the most vibrant communities are exposed to the closure of major department stores, reductionin retail store format sizes and overall consolidation trends reinforced by bankruptcies of dozens ofmajor retail store chains. As a result, today’s inescapable economic forces demand approaches toland use and infrastructure that explore diversification in uses and densities, and concepts for publicamenities and private attractions that help cities capture trips that retain or covert to “sales” sufficientto sustain vibrant commercial corridors.

The loss of the large retail stores comes with some opportunities, as these web-based retailers needdozens of new smaller distribution facilities throughout southern California to be able to provide nextday delivery services (known as “last mile” distribution centers). Under State law, these can act aspoint of sale locations, generating significant sales tax to the local community.

Younger consumers (known as Millennials), with their increased use of media and digitalcommunication, seek gathering places with restaurants and entertainment venues, rather than justcollections of retail stores. Another important group, according to many economic theorists, is thecreative class of professionals (artists, designers, scientists, musicians, and programmers) who area collateral force in economic development across the United States. This dynamic workforcesegment is attracted to communities with urban environments and clustered centers, which providea sense of vitality, diversity, convenience and balanced mix of work, entertainment, services, artsand culture.

The growth in the Millennial population, the largest population segment in history, bringsopportunities for communities to attract new technology business and create 24/7 live workenvironments that can revitalize downtown and other commercial clusters. To attract thesetechnology companies, communities need a wide variety of housing choices to be available fortoday’s workforce, including up-to-date rental and mixed use.

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APPROACH

This Economic Development Strategic Plan (“EDSP” or “Plan”) is focused on taking advantage ofstrategic opportunities, while recognizing the constraints facing the City. To assist the City indeveloping the Plan, Kosmont followed these primary steps:

1. Gather baseline information/data

• Analyze economic and market trends for Thousand Oaks and Ventura County

• Interview community leaders and stakeholder groups

2. Identify key areas best suited to focus new development (Opportunity Areas)

• Downtown

• Thousand Oaks Blvd.

• The Oaks Mall

• Rancho Conejo Industrial Park

3. Assess the City’s tolerance for risk

• Available Capital reserves

• General fund revenue growth

• Willingness to borrow using public debt

• Willingness to invest funds directly or

• Provide performance based incentives to private sector

4. Review of applicable Economic Development Tools

• Enhanced zoning

• Development Agreements

• Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts/Financing Programs

• Tax rebates/reimbursements

5. Consideration of Strategic Approaches

• Examined successful economic development case studies in similar communities

• Evaluated Community-wide plan changes

• Project/property specific focus on Opportunity Sites; defined by properties that areprivately or publicly owned with sufficient beneficial attributes of size, location, desirability,market demand, existing or zoning potential, adjacency features, and other salientcharacteristics, the combination of which would justify additional public and/or privateinvestment to beneficially diversify and improve Thousand Oaks.

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CONCLUSIONS

If properly executed, strategically timed and funded, local economic development programs areessential to maintaining a viable economy, which in turn supports a livable community. ForThousand Oaks, economic development should be a consistent and concerted effort on the part ofthe City Council and staff to influence the direction of private sector investment toward opportunitiesthat can lead to sustainable economic growth. We conceive this as a strategy focused on publicand private investment in “Opportunity Sites.”

Sustainable economic growth can be characterized by a combination of judicious and strategicpublic policy and investment which triggers and accelerates desired private sector investment. Tothe extent successful, sustainable economic growth provides fundamentally reliable incomes for thelabor force, profitable business opportunities for employers, and adequate tax revenues formaintaining services and infrastructure, then in the aggregate the future needs of the communitycan be supported. When responding to business needs in a fast-paced digital laced world, it iscritical that government be able to respond in a timely manner to take advantage of opportunities asthey arise.

Given today’s economic challenges, the City is faced with a series of choices in planning for its long-term future.

• Does the City want to strategically identify and attract types of new multi-useretail/entertainment/resort concepts – or – focus more on retention of existing businesses?

• Does the City want to maintain plus pursue improved community services – or – conserveresources based on anticipated long-term cuts, particularly during the next economic downturn?

• Does the City want to pursue the status quo, characterized as a stabilized suburban retirementleaning community – or – to become a residential, live/work/play environment balanced bydifferent housing and work space facilities/amenities, more suited for multiple generations?

• Can the City develop strategic, effective and acceptable criteria for allocating scarce futureresidential and commercial development permits allowable under Measure E? For example,focusing increased density in certain areas within the City can transfer value to existinglandowners instead of preferred users or uses. A development opportunity oriented approachtends to increase value to owners or buyers willing to engage in redevelopment.

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CASE STUDIES

In evaluating economic strategies, there are often valuable lessons that can be learned from the

experience of other similar communities, who have faced the same economic challenges and

achieved great success.

Based on input from community members and the Consultant’s prior experience, several examples

of comparable cities with successful implementation strategies were examined to understand the

challenges they faced, the decisions they made and the lessons they learned, as well as providing

real life examples for Thousand Oaks to follow.

Specific Case Study Examples Examined in Report

• Leveraging Biotech Cluster – Describes the successful development of a major biotech cluster in

the La Jolla/Torrey Pines area of San Diego County, leveraging off of a single large biotech firm

beginning in the late 1980’s.

• Creating a Dynamic New Downtown - Discusses how the City of Brea created a new mixed-use

“downtown gathering” area separate from the successful regional mall.

• Creating Attractive High Density Housing – Summarizes how the predominately single family

suburban community of Pleasanton in northern California provided new housing opportunities for

millennial workforce.

• Downtown Revitalization – Provides an overview of how the city of Scottsdale, AZ has met the

challenge of attracting new high technology industry and its workforce to a suburban community.

• Repositioning of Existing Retail Centers- Describes how a highly successful retail center in

Scottsdale, AZ, the Scottsdale Fashion Mall, is being redeveloped to add residential and

commercial uses to high-end experiential retail in response to changing retail market trends to

maintain its position as a premier retail/entertainment destination.

• Attracting New Technology – Shows how the City of Carpinteria has built a cluster of high

technology, by attracting companies away from Santa Barbara and enabling them to afford

expansion that has added close to 1,000 new jobs.

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STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS

Kosmont offers the following twelve economic development based recommendations to help the City

maintain its financial health and achieve future community economic and social vitality, such as

enhanced quality of life, job growth, support of the arts and a balanced economy with sustainable

neighborhoods. The recommendations are presented under the following categories: General

Implementation; Real Estate/Zoning; Public/Private Investment; and Education/Entrepreneurship.

General Implementation

1. Develop an “Opportunity Sites” approach to economic development.

a) Involve and inform community using digital community outreach (e.g. digiConversationTM) 1

b) Invite a broad audience of investors and developers. Utilize web-based platforms and

other tools to help promote existing and future economic development opportunities within

the City (e.g. OppSites, an online national economic development marketplace which

efficiently exposes cities to developers seeking investment opportunities that are

supported by communities).

2. Examine the creation of a Council Ad-Hoc committee to evaluate and implement the goals and

recommendations of the Economic Development Strategic Plan.

Real Estate/Zoning

3. Update the City’s understanding of Measure E as related to the allowable number of housing units

and limits on future development.

4. Review and/or update underlying policies and elements of the General Plan and/or specific plans,

as necessary, which can provide an opportunity for City to better plan for future community needs

(e.g. inclusion of an Economic Development or affordable housing Element).

5. Examine creation of a Development Opportunity ReserveTM (DORTM) 1 as a tool to:

• Give priority considerations to targeted business growth opportunities

• Require specified community benefit contributions (infrastructure, amenities, cultural,

other) in exchange for development rights

6. Consider allowing mixed-use development at major shopping centers to help replace the eventual

loss of larger department stores and big box retailers.

1 digiConversation and Development Opportunity Reserve (DOR) are Kosmont registered trademarks

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Public/Private Investment

7. Identify primary locations for accommodating future growth including less traditional residential

and commercial concepts that help create new job growth, and allowing new technology

companies to provide employment for all generations.

8. Support reinvestment/growth in key commercial centers and the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall to

secure, and grow and/or support major contributors to the tax base.

9. Improve infrastructure (e.g. sidewalks, intersections, building improvements) in the Rancho

Conejo Business Park to attract/retain larger high value technology companies and “last mile”

distribution facilities. Examine Enhanced Infrastructure Districts (“EIFD”) and Property Assessed

Clean Energy Finance Program (“PACE”) as tools to fund such improvements.

Education/Entrepreneurship

10. Consider investment in creation of new technology business opportunities by supporting

organizations like Ventura BioCenter, Hub101 805 Startups, and other similar groups.

11. Leverage California Lutheran University investment in downtown.

12. Consider creating an Innovation Campus/Research Park which can be coupled with workforce

housing and supporting commercial services, such as retail, restaurant, and hotel/conference

center.

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1. INTRODUCTION

Introduction

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ECONOMIC PAST

Incorporated in 1964, The City of Thousand Oaks is recognized as a premiere planned community

known for its prime location, natural beauty and historic suburban lifestyle. In the early 1900s, the

Janss family purchased 10,000 acres of farmland, which was comprised of chicken, hog, and dairy

farms, field crops, and orchards.

Jungleland USA (“Jungleland”), which was created in 1926, started as a private zoo and animal

training facility for Hollywood and later became a theme park, which opened in 1929. Jungleland

was located at the current site of the City Hall/Civic Arts Plaza and has been classified as one of

Southern California's first theme parks. Wild animal shows entertained thousands in the 1940s and

50s. Many TV and movie productions made use of the park's trained animals and were filmed there,

including Birth of a Nation, Tarzan, and The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Since incorporation, the City has developed into a quality community, integrating effective planning

and citizen involvement, which has grown from 14 square miles to almost 56 square miles and more

than 132,000 residents. The population grew rapidly following incorporation, from 35,000 in 1970 to

over 104,000 by 1990. Helping fuel that growth was the tremendous success of the biotech

company – Amgen. By 1990 it was the City’s largest employer, as it remains today, providing

thousands of high paying jobs for life science and administrative professionals.

In response to the rapid population growth, the City voters passed Measure E to restrict residential

and commercial growth to the capacity allowed in the 1996 General Plan and the City Council

adopted the “Parks Initiative”, which requires a vote of the people before land designated as

“existing parks, golf courses and open space” can be changed to a different land use category in the

City’s General Plan.

With the majority of residential and commercially zoned land already developed and the

aforementioned measures passed by voters, the City has seen moderate development on vacant

land and a renewed interest in redevelopment of existing sites.

Introduction

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ECONOMIC PAST

Thousand Oaks is a low tax city, receiving a small portion of the total property taxes generated

within its jurisdictional boundaries, and, as a result, is dependent on the very cyclical sales tax and

other revenues to sustain its General Fund and provide necessary services.

As the City is approaching build-out with limitations imposed from Measure E and other land use

regulations, revenue sources such as developer fees have declined sharply, dropping 80% since

2007. Furthermore, following the 2008 recession, the City has reduced staff by over 100 positions to

conserve financial resources.

Thousand Oaks is today, as it was designed, a self sufficient master planned community with single

family neighborhoods, regional shopping centers, recreational and open space, exceptional schools,

and a large industrial park to allow people to live, work and shop locally.

For many years, Thousand Oaks, as a low property tax city (6% of total property taxes) relied on

redevelopment tax increment to provide millions of dollars annually that could be spent on local

infrastructure and affordable housing. The loss of redevelopment in 2012 and the changing

economic and demographic landscape of the community and region, has necessitated the

importance of cities to evaluate economic development opportunities and strategies that can be

employed to provide a sustainable tax base and provide the services that residents need most now

and into the future.

Introduction

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PURPOSE

Since its incorporation, the City of Thousand Oaks has embraced many practices to promote

economic growth with a focus on quality of life, smart land use policy, health, safety, and welfare of

its residents, public-private projects and development of key assets to increase revenues (e.g. The

Oaks, The Lakes, Westlake Promenade, Thousand Oaks Auto Mall, and Civic Arts Plaza) and

improvements to local infrastructure.

As a result of the State’s elimination of redevelopment in 2012, one of the most significant tools to

spur economic development in the last 40 years, Thousand Oaks’ financial situation was hit

especially hard, as redevelopment tax increment revenue had been a tremendous resource that

afforded the City an opportunity to devote millions of local property tax dollars to critical

infrastructure, affordable housing, public-private projects, public amenities and stimulate the local

economy.

With the impact of the Great Recession on sales taxes and other revenues, the City has been faced

with new economic realities and a broad array of economic challenges that need to be addressed,

such as improving/enhancing aging infrastructure, provision of affordable housing, retention and

growth of businesses and job creation.

In conjunction with these challenges, aggressive State legislative sustainability & energy/resource

efficiency standards and policies have been passed to encourage infrastructure and a carbon

footprint based green economy. The emergence of the millennial generation, now 83 million with

growing economic influence, has had considerable impact on communities, business, and

development.

New State legislative measures have been passed to provide cities with new tools (e.g. Enhanced

Infrastructure Financing Districts (“EIFD”) and Community Revitalization and Investment Authorities

(“CRIA”)), and Property Assessed Clean Energy (“PACE”) financing.

When these tools are coupled with well-established tools (e.g. land use/zoning, rebate of

taxes/revenues, joint powers authorities), they can help drive new revenues and job creation as well

as provide a roadmap for Thousand Oaks to focus on creative strategies to help effectuate

successful public-private projects and facilitate economic development.

The City, as steward of taxpayer resources, has engaged in an Economic Development Strategic

Plan process, with the intention to deploy those resources in the most efficient and effective manner

possible to generate a significant economic return and adapt to the new economic realities.

Introduction

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OVERVIEW

The Economic Development Strategic Plan (“EDSP”) is intended to serve as a policy guide for

decision makers and staff, and it establishes direction for Thousand Oaks’ short, medium, and long-

range economic development efforts and initiatives and constitutes the City’s first comprehensive

economic development plan in its 50+ year history.

The EDSP also guides decisions related to land use and economic development and outlines

strategies to retain enhance and expand the City’s business base. By building upon existing

strengths and leveraging opportunities, the EDSP will assist the City in growing a strong and diverse

economy.

The City’s continual commitment to embrace progress and uphold its core economic principles and

values in the wake of economic recessions and downturns has sustained it and the foresight of the

City’s leaders to create this economic development strategic plan is pro-active, timely, relevant, and

will allow it to think creatively and strategically to sustain it now and into to the future.

This document will also serve to inform the City’s General Plan and specific plan land use and

development policies. The EDSP contains targeted strategies and recommendations to enhance the

business and residential climate in Thousand Oaks, improve the local economy, and support growth

and development in the City that is aligned with the desires and needs of existing residents,

community groups and other stakeholders.

Thousand Oaks is desirous of creating a more harmonious balance between community

development, quality of life and economic development, utilizing the General Plan as a key driver in

the decision-making process. As such, the EDSP is consistent with the General Plan themes and

promotes the idea that economic development must be sustainable.

The EDSP for Thousand Oaks is a more targeted and short term-oriented document relative to the

General Plan or various specific plans, with efforts to be more responsive to economic cycles and

challenges, and will focus on actions, policies, and initiatives that are implementable and lay the

foundation for long-term economic growth.

Introduction

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APPROACH

In preparing the EDSP, we conducted extensive data collection and analysis for Ventura County

and Thousand Oaks and utilized a highly collaborative process among business leaders, non-

profits, other governmental agencies as well as elected and appointed City officials.

In addition to the feedback received from our collaborative EDSP process, a review of primary

economic infrastructure, workforce, and community assets help shape guiding values that provided

a framework throughout the preparation of this document.

By building upon existing strengths and leveraging opportunities, the EDSP will enable the City to:

• Enhance the health, safety, and economic welfare of the community;

• Achieve short and long-term key economic development projects with a focus on public

infrastructure, sustainability, energy efficiency and new sources of revenue generation;

• Create a diverse employment base and focuses on identified industry clusters, business retention

& growth through targeted marketing strategies; and

• Take specific actions and utilize key resources and financing mechanisms, and tools to achieve

the goals outlined in the Economic Development Strategic Plan.

PROCESS

The EDSP is the result of a multi-phased effort involving the business community, developers,

elected/appointed officials, appropriate community groups and stakeholders as well as City staff and

the City’s consultant – Kosmont Companies (“Kosmont”) – to craft an economic development

strategy that is unique to Thousand Oaks.

Economic development is a dynamic process and as such, the EDSP is intended to serve as a first

step into the planning realm of Economic Development and is not intended to represent a policy

endpoint or final doctrine, and thus provides a relevant basis for continued flexibility, adaptability

and updating as may be necessary in the future.

The goal of the planning process was to gather input and craft a plan with a set of coherent

strategies that recognize the City’s and region’s strengths and capitalize on near and long-term

opportunities. The input received during the process set the foundation for the recommendations

contained in the EDSP.

As part of the planning process, Kosmont led stakeholders through a series of discussions and

separate one-on-one meetings designed to capture feedback on strengths, weakness and

opportunities for the City of Thousand Oaks. Input gathered at stakeholder sessions along with

economic data and input from the City’s Fiscal Sustainability Study, Cal Lutheran University,

Ventura County 2017 Economic Outlook Report, CBRE real estate market reports, the City’s

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, and various data sources, formed the basis for the EDSP.

Introduction

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2. COMMUNITY GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Community Goals & Objectives

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STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH

On July 13, 2016, Kosmont Companies held targeted stakeholder meetings in connection with the

development of the City’s EDSP. Kosmont led groups of local and economic regional

partners/stakeholders through a series of discussions designed to capture the strengths, weakness

and opportunities for the City of Thousand Oaks.

The stakeholders were comprised of:

Business Advocates: Thousand Oaks Boulevard Association (TOBA), Westlake Joint Board

(Homeowners Associations), Thousand Oaks Auto Mall Association, and Greater Conejo Valley

Chamber of Commerce;

Major Employers/Businesses: Amgen, Baxalta/Shire, Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center,

Janss Marketplace, and Westlake Plaza;

Educational Institutions: California Lutheran University;

Development/Real Estate Entities: Caruso Affiliated, Macerich, Regency Centers, Sinclair Co.,

Steaven Jones Development Company, Inc., and CBRE;

Public/Private Agencies and Special Districts: Area Housing Authority, Conejo Recreation and

Park District, and Southern California Edison); and

Entrepreneurial/Startups and Businesses: Ventura Bio Science, CoFounders Crunch, Hub101,

and 805 Startups.

The following list summarizes the key goals and issues that were addressed at the stakeholdermeetings:

1. Discuss primary economic development options/strategies for TO

2. Engage in a transparent and interactive process that will serve to strategically inform City’s

EDSP approach

3. Access stakeholders feedback in a manner that facilitates a productive community discussion

on T.O. economic development

4. Identify/confirm community assets and strengths as well obstacles and weaknesses

5. Identify primary issues and initiatives and formulate approaches for City’s overall EDSP

6. Generate an ongoing and focused community engagement process that pursues a common

vision for Thousand Oaks’ economy

7. Incorporate direction of comments / feedback and answer questions from stakeholders as part

of development of City EDSP

The following is a summary of input/recommendations gathered at the stakeholder sessions on the

aforementioned topics, which helped form the basis of the EDSP and development of strategies and

approaches as outlined in this document.


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Stakeholder Summary Feedback/Recommendations

• City needs to help foster business community in terms of promotion of opportunities and cultivation

of business sectors (e.g. Rancho Conejo Industrial Area).

• Support and evaluate opportunities to pursue development of hotel/creative office on Thousand

Oaks Blvd and downtown focus area.

• Focus on university and other educational institutions that provide potential pool of employees and

help support economic base.

• Retail is the heartbeat of community and the right amount and type of retail is key.

• City needs to provide necessary support to allow entrepreneurial/startup and investment

community ability to cultivate, grow, and foster job creation.

• City needs to focus on creating enough bandwidth to attract technology companies, retain jobs and

grow industry clusters.

• Leverage community strengths (open space and recreation, great schools and school districts, low

crime rate).

• Entry level and affordable housing is needed to support local workforce (e.g. nurses @ Los Robles

Hospital and Medical Center).

• Office market in City is underperforming and classic office space does not meet needs of new user

(e.g. high ceilings, open beams).

• City should work with existing building owners to incentivize or rehabilitate existing office spaces to

suit the needs of modern tenants (e.g. creative office).

• City’s image and reputation in eyes of development community is troubling to private investment.

Permit streamlining, processing, and conditions of approval should be evaluated.

• Development constraints need to be addressed. City has imposed restrictions on end user

(developer owner) in terms of timing and aesthetics, which adds too much unnecessary cost to

developer.

• Daytime population is where the retail is thriving, so a big void exists in the downtown area. City

would need to address that issue to generate activity, coffee shops. Transportation options to

connect downtown focus area to The Oaks Mall would help and/or structured parking.

• City should focus on walkability and hosting public events in the downtown focus area to increase

activity and traffic to the area.

• City should explore potential of other uses in downtown such as boutique hotel, creative office

product, which can give downtown area a unique identity.

• Millennial population tastes and preferences and need for entry level housing as well as

sustainable buildings and improvements could help cater to demographic.


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PRIMARY GOALS

The goals and objectives included in the EDSP were derived from an evaluation of challenges and opportunities associated with Thousand Oak’s primary economic drivers. Based on this evaluation, the EDSP is structured around the following goals:

• Create a diverse employment base & a balanced approach to ED that focuses on identified

industry clusters;

• Establish the City of Thousand Oaks as an energy efficient, green, tech/sustainable community;

• Increase and expand local partnerships with the community, public agencies, business and

private developers;

• Support and attract investment that expands existing businesses and creates new jobs and

contributes to the fiscal health of Thousand Oaks;

• Enhance major thoroughfares & commercial/entertainment districts to create vibrant

environmentally sustainable and pedestrian oriented neighborhoods;

• Deliver & market destination-based activities & public amenities that attract businesses,

customers & visitors;

• Promote and enhance quality of life in Thousand Oaks;

• Leverage the assets of higher education within and proximate to Thousand Oaks in order to

foster innovation, entrepreneurship & build economic opportunities;

• Establish public-private partnerships to implement economic opportunities; Build on existing

strengths in areas such as arts, entertainment, retail, and industrial;

• Create neighborhoods which attract younger residents while maintaining unique character of

single family community;

• Work to support long term jobs for Thousand Oaks residents & reinforce Thousand Oak’s key

role in the regional economy; and

• Ensure broad community benefit from economic growth and prosperity.


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3. LOCAL PLANNING INITIATIVES

Local Planning Initiatives

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GENERAL PLAN SUMMARY

The Thousand Oaks General Plan (“GP”) was adopted by

Resolution 70-381 on December 22, 1970 shortly after the City’s

incorporation in 1964.

The GP provided a long-range comprehensive guide for the

physical development of the City’s Planning Area and served as a

blueprint for future growth and development and for local leaders to

formulate land use decisions.

While the GP has sustained the City of Thousand Oaks well over

the last 40+ years of its existence, the community has changed and

the underlying economic assumptions used as the basis for

determining appropriate policy goals and objectives and

projections of growth have changed as well.

In addition to dealing with economic recessions, demographic

shifts and other fiscal policy changes, cities must also contend with

new regulations and policies at the State level, such as creating

regional sustainable communities strategies to reduce vehicle

miles traveled and carbon emissions through land use, housing

and transportation planning efforts.

Given the significant changes that we have seen in the overall

economy and expected future conditions, revisiting some of the

underlying policies and elements of the GP can provide an

opportunity for the City to better plan for future community needs.

Communities like Thousand Oaks, that are almost built out, but

facing inevitable growth pressures in the population, can benefit

from re-examining the GP’s assumptions in a comprehensive way.

This can provide the community with a clearer picture of the need

for refining priorities, while the private sector can benefit from

greater certainty about future development opportunities to help the

community withstand future economic down cycles.

For instance, the GP does not have an economic development

element. While not a requirement, including such economic

policies could help the City attract and maintain a healthy mix of

economic sectors, with high-wage jobs, and supporting businesses

and commercial activities that build upon and enhance the City’s

unique character and natural environment.


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GENERAL PLAN SUMMARY

The current GP does include a statement related to economic development goals, objectives, and

policies related to the community's development, and various elements which provide more detailed

policies and standard in certain topic areas. Together, these serve as the foundation for guiding

public and private economic development activities:

The following is a summary of the economic development-related goals associated with Thousand

Oaks’ General Plan:

• Encourage commercial facilities which satisfy the Valley's mercantile needs, arranged and located

to provide convenient access and compatibility with adjoining use through proper design.

• Provide the framework for a planned and unified community containing a balance of living, working,

shopping, educational, civic, cultural and recreational facilities.

• Develop appropriate additional tools enabling commercial, industrial and residential development

to flourish in an efficient and compatible manner.

The following list also contains a summary of the economic development-related policies associated

with Thousand Oaks’ general plan:

• Through good design and the implementation of appropriate development tools, a freeway corridor

image will be created making Thousand Oaks visually distinct from surrounding communities.

• Strive to provide a balanced range of adequate housing for Thousand Oaks Planning Area

residents in a variety of locations .

• Promote the upgrading of substandard neighborhoods throughout the Planning Area to prevent

costly and undesirable deterioration.

• Strengthen the City's commercial core area by improving and enhancing retail, office and service

uses.

• Strengthen the axis between the commercial core areas by improving and rebuilding unattractive

and undeveloped areas along Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

• Sound financial planning shall be provided to guide future community operational and capital

revenues and expenditures.


Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026623

T.O. BLVD SPECIFIC PLAN SUMMARY

The Thousand Oaks Boulevard Specific Plan (“TO Blvd SP”), adopted in November 2011 and

subsequently amended in August 2016, covers approximately 345 gross acres and follows the

boundaries of the Thousand Oaks Boulevard Business Improvement District (“TO BID”) and runs

along Thousand Oaks Boulevard from Conejo Boulevard/Moorpark Road in the west to Duesenburg

Drive to the east.

The Thousand Oaks Boulevard Association (“TOBA”) helped initiate the TO Blvd SP process and

was instrumental in supporting public improvements along Thousand Oaks Boulevard to help

revitalize and beautify the City’s downtown core. The TO BID, administered by the TOBA, is funded

by annual assessments on properties within its boundaries.

The objective of the TO Blvd SP is to create a unique and improved commercial corridor for the City

of Thousand Oaks that is an economically viable, self-sustainable, and pedestrian-friendly

destination, while promoting a mix of retail, office, commercial and residential uses in the City’s

downtown core.

The City’s General Plan is looked to as the primary guide for growth and development in the

community, however, a specific plan is able to focus on the unique characteristics of an area which,

in the case of the TO Blvd SP, focuses on the development, design, compatibility of uses, and

appropriate densities of projects on Thousand Oaks Boulevard that are consistent with the business

community’s vision as supported by TOBA.

In an effort to continue to further the overall City goals, as well as the intent of the TO Blvd SP, the

City Council approved a series of major amendments in 2016, as summarized below:

• Allocate an additional 206 dwelling units to the TO Blvd SP area.

• Reduce number of parking spaces required for restaurants from 1 space per 100 sq. ft. to 1

space/200 sq. ft. for the first 2,000 sq. ft. and 1 space/100 sq. ft. for any additional floor area.

• Allow on-street parking adjacent to a development to count toward project’s parking requirement.

• Set the maximum density for stand-alone housing at 30 dwellings per net acre and set no

maximum density for vertical mixed-use buildings on Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

• Add microbreweries and wineries to the list of permitted uses.


Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026624

CIVIC ARTS SPECIFIC PLAN SUMMARY

The Civic Arts Specific Plan (“Civic Arts SP”) was adopted on September 26, 1989 and has been

amended multiple times with the last amendment occurring on June 11, 2013. The Civic Arts SP

area encompasses 27 acres and is generally bounded by Thousand Oaks Blvd to the north, Conejo

School Road to the east, and Dallas Drive to the west.

The Civic Arts Plaza Specific Plan guides the “comprehensive and integrated development of all

components of development projects” and is located within the predominantly commercial corridor

of Thousand Oaks Blvd. The principal uses permitted within the Specific Plan are commercial,

institutional, and parks and open space.

The adoption of the Civic Arts Specific Plan was to “create a distinctive, high-quality development

project” for the former Jungleland site as a centerpiece for Thousand Oaks and the Conejo Valley

and stimulate economic development. Important components of the Specific Plan include the

government center, civic auditorium, mixed-use development, cultural and park amenities as well as

facilitating a pedestrian-oriented environment and preserving open space.

The development concept for the Civic Arts Specific Plan is intended to produce a broad mix of

interactive uses, which will create a daytime and evening atmosphere and promote interaction

between land uses to advance development and make possible the use of shared facilities such as

plazas and parking structures.

Another central component of the Civic Arts Specific plan is pedestrian access through walkways

and elevated plazas to building complexes as well as circulation improvements to enhance and

encourage development and alternative means of transportation (e.g. bicycles, bus).

The City, as a significant landowner in the area, has recently undertaken efforts to define public

improvements to improve the area such as gateway signage and streetscape improvements in order

to further the original goals and intent of the Civic Arts SP.

Other efforts are also being explored to induce private investment and install necessary

infrastructure and public improvements to enhance the circulation system for cars, pedestrians,

bikes as well as elevate the existing Civic Arts Plaza and public space and evaluate alternative land

mass that would add to the distinctive nature and character of the area.


Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026625

The Civic Arts Specific Plan area is broken up into the following four sub-areas, which reflect the

major components of the Civic Arts SP area and describe the permitted land uses and purpose of

each:

Area A:

7.5 acres; generally encompasses The

Lakes commercial center and is planned for

commercial development and to

accommodate entertainment oriented retail

commercial uses. A focus of this area was

also to allow and encourage pedestrian

circulation and potential for outdoor events.

Area B:

4 acres; generally encompasses The

Discovery Center facility and public park,

which was meant to be a focal point of the

Specific Plan Area. The area was designed

as a gathering space for passive recreation

and pedestrian connections to adjoining

subareas.

Area C & C-1:

12.8 acres; generally encompasses the

Civic Arts Plaza and Performing Arts

Center, City Hall, and vacant undeveloped

land included in the former Redevelopment

Agency’s Long Range Property

Management Plan.

Area D:

2.5 acre;, is located north of The Lakes

commercial project along Thousand Oaks

Boulevard and is meant to serve as a visual

amenity, which contains green space,

pond, public park, pedestrian facilities and

other seasonal public amenities (e.g. ice

skating rink).


Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026626

MEASURE “E” SUMMARY

City Ordinance No. 1280-NS (Measure E) was adopted by the electorate in November 1996. This

ordinance requires that any amendment to the Land Use Element of the City’s General Plan that

would increase residential capacity or commercial acreage beyond the City’s General Plan as of

November 5, 1996, is subject to approval of the electorate.

Since Measure E was approved, there have been no amendments to the Land Use Element thathave required a vote of the electorate. However, as the supply of housing lags behind demandand prices are on the rise further increasing the affordability gap, it is imperative to explorewhether the basis for residential and commercial maximum capacity caps are still applicabletoday.

Residential Measure E Cap (Public & Private Land):

There are 567 additional residential units allowed to be built under Measure E, some of which are

allocated to the Thousand Oaks Boulevard SP area and the rest available citywide.

In July, 2016, the City Council approved an amendment, which allocated 206 residential units to

the TO Blvd SP area from the Measure E cap of units to help support residential growth in that

area.

Commercial Measure E Cap (Public & Private Land):

A total of 4.06 acres of additional commercial area is available to be built citywide under Measure

E.


Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026627

RANCHO CONEJO INDUSTRIAL PARK SPECIFIC PLAN NO. 15

The Rancho Conejo Industrial Park Specific Plan area was formerly an unincorporated territory ofCity of Thousand Oaks and was initially created, annexed and approved by City of Thousand Oaksin the early 1990s.

The intent of the Specific Plan is to provide specific development standards for industrial propertieswithin the Specific Plan boundaries and provide continuation of development and use standardsequivalent to those under existing Ventura County standards.

The Rancho Conejo Industrial Park Specific Plan area permits a variety of land uses, including alluses set forth as permitted within the City’s M-1 (Industrial Park) Zone. Additional uses within thezone permitted by development permit or special use permit include but are not limited toclubhouses, ambulance service, mail order houses, sign painting and lettering shops, amusementand recreational facilities, swap meets, and recycling facilities and centers.

The Rancho Conejo Industrial Park Specific Plan is contained within Appendix A, Title 9, of theCity’s municipal code.


Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026628

AUTO MALL OVERLAY ZONE

The Highway and Arterial Business / Auto Mall Overlay Zone (C-2/AM zoning) was established inorder to encourage the grouping of dealerships, automotive sales and leasing uses, and also allowautomotive support services to operate within the designated C-2/AM Zone.

The Zone is applied to areas in which a grouping of automobile sales and services can bedeveloped to compliment adjacent land uses, display visual characteristics that enhances thatappearance of the area to promote trade and commerce, and accommodate the convenience ofmotorists with adequate vehicular access and circulation. The intent of the zone is to recognize thespecial needs associated with auto dealerships and automobile uses within an auto mall area and todevelop appropriate development and performance standards to facilitate their growth the prosperityin a manner that is harmonious and sensitive to the surrounding community.

The Auto Mall Overlay Zone permits a variety of auto-oriented uses, including all uses set forth aspermitted within the City’s C-2/AM Zone as detailed in the City’s municipal code within Section4.2102, Title 9, of the City’s municipal code. Generally, all development standards applicable to theHighway and Arterial Business (C-2) Zone apply to the Highway and Arterial Business/Auto Mall (C-2/AM).


Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026629

4. CURRENT CONDITIONS

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026630

SETTING & QUALITY OF LIFE

Situated on the eastern edge of Ventura

County, approximately 35 miles from

Downtown Los Angeles, and spread over 55

square miles, Thousand Oaks is one of

California’s most desirable places to live, work

and raise a family.

The City is ranked among the safest suburban

communities in the Unites States. Thousand

Oaks is also home to exceptional schools, a

world-class cultural arts and entertainment

venue, 18-hole golf course and banquet facility,

thousands of acres of natural open space for

outdoor recreation and high quality healthcare

facilities.

Today, Thousand Oaks’ economic strengths

come from its broad retail sector, large

industrial base, higher than average household

incomes and property values and prime

location. Similar to many cities across the state,

Thousand Oaks is working to develop an

updated economic development strategy in

light of the State’s dissolution of

Redevelopment Agencies in 2012.

While easily accessed by automobile from the

101 Freeway, Thousand Oaks is relatively

isolated with respect to air and rail service.

The only local airport was closed in the 1960’s

– thus Burbank is the closest airport for

commercial travel. The closest Amtrak and

Metrolink service facilities are in Camarillo, and

Moorpark.

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026631

AMGEN CORPORATE HQ

Founded in 1980, Amgen has become the world’slargest independent biotechnology company with$20 billion in annual revenue and 18,000worldwide employees.

Amgen is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, with3.7 million square feet of space on 120 acres andalmost 5,000 employees on campus, making themthe largest private sector employer in VenturaCounty and providing the highest paying jobs. Likemany companies, Amgen has reduced itsemployment (1,500 jobs in TO since 2006). Findingbusiness opportunities for these highly educatedemployees is critical for the long term economichealth of the City.

Despite a lack of a biotechnology cluster as existsin Torrey Pines/La Jolla or South San Francisco,Amgen and its alumni have been responsible forseveral significant new biotech firms in the area,including Atara Biotherapeutics, KytheraBiopharmaceuticals and immunGene as well asthe Ventura BioCenter.

AUTO MALL

The Thousand Oaks Auto Mall is one of the largestcollection of auto dealerships in California, with 30different auto makes represented, includingMercedes, Porsche, and Rolls Royce.

With annual sales of over 25,000 automobiles, theThousand Oaks Auto Mall and adjacentdealerships are the largest tax generator in theCity, yielding over $7 million in annual sales taxes– almost 25% of the City general fund total. Oneconcern is the cyclicality of automobile sales, withlarge sales declines occurring during recessionaryperiods.

With onsite customer parking at a premium, It isimportant for the City to assist the dealerships infinding room to meet consumer demand.

Current Conditions

OVERVIEW OF KEY ECONOMIC ASSETS

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026632

THE OAKS

The Oaks Mall is a 1.3 million square foot regionalshopping center with over 150 retail shops,restaurants, and entertainment.

The Mall is anchored by Nordstrom, Macy’s, J.CPenney and a 14-screen AMC theater complex.Taxable annual sales are estimated at $300million, generating approximately $3 million peryear in sales taxes to the City general fund

With extensive freeway frontage and large openparking areas, the Oaks and surrounding area, is aprime candidate for mixed-use development.

RANCHO CONEJO INDUSTRIAL PARK

The Rancho Conejo Industrial Park is anindustrially zoned area north of the 101 freewaythat contains the majority of Thousand Oaks’industrial businesses.

The Rancho Conejo Industrial Park is importantfor the long term health of the City. It containsover 120 industrial properties, ranging from5,000 SF to 127,000 SF. With a vacancy rate of~2%, it represents a strong industrial economicdriver for the City. Major tenants are Shire,Sage Publications and Skyworks Solutions.

With 82% of properties in the area constructedprior to 1990, there is a need to improveinfrastructure, upgrade aging buildings andenhance environmental sustainability. Theseimprovement could be made by expanding theCity’s Landscape and Maintenance AssessmentDistrict to include the Rancho Conejo IndustrialPark

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026633

CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY

Cal Lutheran (“CLU”) is a private universityfounded in 1959. It is located about two milesnorth of the Lynn Road exit on the 101Freeway.

CLU is home to about 4,100 students,representing 60 different countries. Whileprimarily a liberal arts school with 30 differentmajors in creative arts, humanities and socialsciences, as well as biology, chemistry,biochemistry, computer information, computerscience and environmental sciences.

CLU has a strong record of encouraging business development from its students and graduates, and actually offers a minor in entrepreneurship.

The Los Angeles Rams professional football team recently constructed an interim practice facility on the CLU campus.

THOUSAND OAKS BOULEVARD

Thousand Oaks Boulevard is the City’s majoreast/west thoroughfare. It runs parallel to the101 freeway, connecting The Oaks shoppingcenter on the west, to Civic Arts Plaza andthe Auto Mall in the east, and generates $2million per year in sales taxes.

Currently, Thousand Oaks Boulevard hasover 230 different businesses, but isexperiencing high levels of vacancy for retailand office land uses.

A cursory examination of the properties alongthe boulevard indicates several dozen parcelstotaling approximately 45 acres that would bewell suited for redevelopment.

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026634

CIVIC ARTS PLAZA

The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, is thedowntown for the City of Thousand Oaks,containing City Hall, the Community Theatercomplex and The Lakes shopping center.

The Civic Arts complex opened in 1994 and isone of the largest performing arts centers outsideLos Angeles and San Francisco. It contains the1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theater and the 394-seatScherr Forum Theater hosting international talentand bringing 300,000 patrons annually to over400 different events. Despite this success, thefacility is underutilized, and there may beopportunities to work with the CLU Dramadepartment and others to join in using thetheaters.

The Lakes at Thousand Oaks is a high qualitydining and shopping experience with LassensMarket, PF Chang’s and California Pizza Kitchen,among other tenants.

There is an excellent opportunity for futureresidential and mixed-use development in thisarea to create a true downtown environment.

VENTURA BIOCENTER

The Ventura BioCenter was founded by a formerAmgen employee in 2012 in Thousand Oaks.Located in an 11,000 square foot facility with theonly wetlab available for incubator tenants.

HUB 101

Hub 101 is a co-working, incubator community for

entrepreneurs and business start-ups that

recently opened in Westlake Village in leased

space with Cal Lutheran classrooms.

Hub101 or an equivalent facility could be an

excellent anchor tenant for new mixed-use

development near the Civic Arts Plaza.

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026635

ENTREPRENEURSHIP - SHAPING THE NEW ECONOMY

Entrepreneurial businesses (startup) are becoming an increasingly important component of a

healthy community/economy as a means to help drive job retention/creation, business attraction,

innovation, and cultural vibrancy and diversity.

Although these kinds of innovative, high-growth businesses are relatively few in number, they can

have a significant impact on both local and regional economies in that they account for up to 50% of

new jobs, and encourage subsequent employment growth in related industries. Based on the

ongoing success and economic importance of startups, local governments should consider creating

more dynamic labor markets and supportive regulatory environments to encourage investment by

entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial businesses.

The following are a “few common ingredients” that help foster successful entrepreneurial

ecosystems as follows:

Talent

• Investment in human capital builds and retains desirable and talented workforce.

• Communities can help kick start investment in human capital by supporting education for a digital& innovation workforce; and promoting workforce diversity.

• Linking academic research networks with businesses

Density

• Dense communities foster innovation through collaboration.

• Dense communities increase the potential for successful ventures to emerge. Communities “canfoster startup density by supporting cluster growth, creating physical hubs, driving awareness inthe media, building networks with mentors, and linking academic research networks withbusinesses.”

Culture

• Innovation clusters require a culture of innovation, support, learning, & entrepreneurship.

• Communities can help by fostering public-private communication and teaching/promotingentrepreneurial skills, businesses and jobs.

Capital

• Experienced investors can help direct entrepreneurial startups to success.

• Communities can take steps to make it easier for startups to access the capital required to startand grow their business, as well as create tax incentives for investors.

Regulatory environment

• Governments should help create a stable, predictable and supportive regulatory environment tohelp foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

Source: UpGlobal

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026636

MILLENIAL POPULATION & WORKFORCE

Today, Thousand Oaks has a significantly lower share of millennials

relative to the state (15% of population in the City vs. 22% of

population in the state). This has important economic development

implications as significant future job growth and real estate

investment will come from millennials. Although baby boomers

currently spend more than millennials ($2.3 trillion annual spending),

this trend will reverse as boomers retire/age and as millennials

increase their net worth and consumption.

If Thousand Oaks does not direct efforts towards attracting and

retaining millennial residential/workforce populations, the City may

continue to experience millennial-out-migration in the form of lost

business and jobs, potentially contributing to higher vacancies, lower

real estate prices, shrinking workforce participation, reduced retail

sales, and long-term business relocation.

Based on our research and studies provided by the City, there is an

existence of a jobs-housing spatial mismatch as related to the

emerging millennial workforce. This mismatch occurs when homes

conducive to workers’ economic conditions, social positions, and

lifestyle preferences are situated far from their employment centers.

Current Conditions

MillennialsBaby

Boomers

Annual Spending

$600 Billion

$2.3 Trillion

83.1

75.4

MILLENNIALS BOOMERS

Population(Millions)

For Thousand Oaks, the jobs-housing spatial mismatch is predominantly fueled by a lack of moderate

housing options, coupled with a lack of neighborhood characteristics, entertainment, and other

millennial-geared-amenities. This imbalance is fueling millennial “out-migration” in the City, reducing

the number of young, educated professionals, and potentially jeopardizing the City’s ability to maintain

and attract businesses and private development in the future.

One way to help prevent continued millennial out migration is to address the high cost of living and lack

of a “downtown” & entertainment core in the City. If action is not taken, the potential overall economic

impact to the City (and potentially Ventura County) may be significantly greater in the future and more

difficult to reverse/ameliorate. It is in the interest of Thousand Oaks residents, businesses, and City

staff to act now.

Millennials spend the largest share of their budget eating out (over 6 %).

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026637

RETAIL TRADE

With close to 14,000 employees, the retailsector is the largest employer and the largestsource of tax revenues, generating +$30 millionper year, primarily through sales tax revenues.Retail trade provides part-time and entry leveljobs for high school/college students.

RETAIL TRENDS

Retail development is undergoing major shiftsas consumer tastes and other economic forces.

1. Big Box Shrinkage – bigger is notnecessarily better. Many retailers areshrinking the size of new stores by 25% to50% or more.

2. Food and Beverage are the New AnchorTenants – For the first time restaurant saleshave exceeded grocery store sales. Youcan’t eat on the internet so public gatheringplaces are critical to shopping centers.

3. Mixed-Use is about the Right Blend – food,entertainment, fitness, medical, office andhousing. Think Community Center ratherthan Lifestyle Center.

4. Millennials are Redefining ConsumerSpending – They have more spending powerthan any generation ($600B) and aretechnology driven for communication andshopping needs.

RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES

With the high median income, the 125,000residents of Thousand Oaks have over $3.1billion in annual retail spending potential. Withthe tremendous success of the Auto Mallattracting over $500 million in surplus spending,and other major retail centers throughout theCity, annual retail sales are over $3.5 billion.

Despite this aggregate surplus, there areopportunities to capture more retail sales inseveral industry sectors. Building materials hasannual leakage, illustrating why Home Depotand Lowe’s have tried to bring a new store tothe City. Another major opportunity is therestaurant business, which appears to haveleakage of $40 million per year.

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026638

MANUFACTURING

With close to 12,000 employees, themanufacturing sector is the second largestemployer and is a major source of economicstability and growth for the City but broaderVentura County economy as well.

Despite some of the downsizing in theemployee base with Amgen and Baxalta (nowShire), challenges to the industry still remain.Legal and regulatory challenges to the industry stillremain.

Companies like Amgen and Skyworks plan toinvest millions of dollars to facilitate businessexpansion and continued growth. Majorcompanies headquartered in Thousand Oaksare:

• Amgen is one of the world’s leadingbiotechnology companies

• Inphi Corporation, high speed analogsemiconductor company

• Skyworks, innovator or high performanceanalog semiconductors, (power amplifierdesign center, as well as an 185,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility forthe production of compound semiconductorwafers)

• Xirrus manufactures the patented Wi-FiArray, a powerful, high-capacity, broad-rangeWi-Fi system used to securely deliver data,voice and video services to large userpopulations, including offices, conferencerooms, auditoriums, campuses, warehouses,remote users, and emergency responseteams

• Shire, a global innovator in specialtybiopharmaceuticals

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026639

REAL ESTATE MARKET OVERVIEW

As compared to neighboring communities in VenturaCounty, Thousand Oaks real estate market is veryhealthy with premium rent levels and comparablevacancy rates for most land uses.

Office Market

Thousand Oaks office market is underperforming.Excluding owner-occupied buildings (i.e. Amgen) theoffice space inventory of 3.7 million square feet has hadvacancy rates fluctuate between 15% and 20% over thepast five years, with asking rents holding steady at $23per square foot gross.

Industrial Market

Thousand Oaks industrial market is strong with lowvacancy rates and increasing rents. Excluding owner-users, Thousand Oaks industrial market hasapproximately 700,000 square feet of inventory, andonly represents about 1% of total Ventura Countyindustrial space.

Retail Market

The retail market in Thousand Oaks has had mixedperformance in recent years. Vacancy rates haveincreased from 6% to 8% on the 5.6 million square feetof inventory, but with asking rents increased by 25%since 2011 to over $30 per square foot triple net.

Apartment Market

The apartment market is strong with 4,500 rental units,representing 10% of County total. Vacancy rates havedecreased from about 6% to 3% since 2011 with askingrent per SF increasing from about $1.50 to $1.90 in thesame period.

See Appendices for additional market data and historictrends

Current Conditions

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026640

OPPORTUNITY SITE OVERVIEW

Current Conditions

Tho

usan

d O

aks Blvd

.For Development: Borchard Rd. Property

Size: 36.66 acres

APN: 662-001-003

ED Opportunity: Potential residential / commercial

development site (exempt from Measure E)

For Development: Daylight Thousand Oaks

LLC

Size: 9.68 acres

APN: 660-005-001

ED Opportunity: Comm. / office off 101 fwy

For Development: The Oaks Mall

Size: 18.19 acres

APN: 525-005-247, 525-005-236, 525-002-036,

525-005-252, 525-005-246, 525-005-248

ED Opportunity: Redevelopment/additions of new

uses to The Oaks Mall with potential residential

For Development: Nazarbekian Site

Size: 5.97 acres

APN: 669-020-104, 669-020-103, 669-020-105,

525-001-223

ED Opportunity: potential mixed-use project

For Development: Westside Properties

Size: 2.81 acres

APN: 670-018-223, 670-018-221, 670-018-219,

670-018-206, 670-018-222

ED Opportunity: Downtown redevelopment opp.

For Development: Former K-Mart Site

Size: 10.12 acres

APN: 676-015-037, 676-015-036

ED Opportunity: Retail/commercial opportunity

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026641

5. SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT Analysis

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026642

PURPOSE OF SWOT ANALYSIS

A SWOT analysis is an instrumental framework

commonly used in EDSPs and other strategic

documents to identify Strengths, Weaknesses,

Opportunities, and Threats for a particular city or

project area.

• Strengths and weaknesses are internal value

creating/destroying factors

• Opportunities and threats are external value

creating/destroying factors

The SWOT analyses on the following pages

examine the internal strengths and weaknesses of

the City of Thousand Oaks and Thousand Oaks

project areas as well as identifying opportunities

and threats.

A SWOT analysis was conducted for the

following areas:

• Thousand Oaks Citywide


• Thousand Oaks Boulevard Specific Plan Area

• Thousand Oaks Downtown/Civic Arts Plaza Area

SWOT Analysis

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026643

SWOT ANALYSIS – THOUSAND OAKS CITYWIDE

Strengths

1. $3.1 billion in annual HH spending potential

2. Significant leakage in building materials, gas stations, miscellaneous retail and restaurants

3. 101 Freeway / 23 Highway provides excellent regional access

4. Existing Specific Plans

5. Identified Opportunity Areas

6. Support from City Council / Staff

7. Some Sites Acquired & Ready for Development

8. Amgen is world’s largest biotech company

9. The Oaks Mall

10. The Auto Mall

Weaknesses

1. Low property tax City

2. Measure E limitations

3. Underdeveloped Downtown

4. Certain Land Uses Not Performing Well (Office)

5. Lack of centralized shopping, nightlife and hotel

cluster

6. Aging population/youth drain

7. Aging infrastructure systems need upgrades

8. Large suburban and “strip” retail needing

refreshing and tenant mix

Opportunities1. Cooperation with Ventura County / Developers

2. Developer Interest in Identified Opportunity

Sites

3. Regional Economy Improving

4. Development potential at Civic Arts , The Oaks

Mall, Rancho Conejo Industrial Area and other

select site opportunities

Threats

1. County is Seeing Negative Net Migration

2. VC Job Growth Rate in Bottom 20% of

California Counties

3. High paying jobs are down 15% - Amgen

downsizing

4. Increasing E.D. Incentives and expanded

zoning from proximate cities

SWOT Analysis

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026644

SWOT ANALYSIS – RANCHO CONEJO INDUSTRIAL PARK

Strengths

1. Large area without residential intrusion

2. Dedicated Industrial Area to Accommodate Future Growth

3. Low Industrial Market Vacancy (1.7%)


5. Some Sites Ready for New Tenants

Weaknesses

1. Majority of Structures are Dated /

Functionally Obsolete (Require Update)

2. Infrastructure (e.g. streets and sidewalks) need significant

improvements

3. Difficulty Attracting Quality Workforce

4. Difficulty Attracting Quality Modern

Industrial Tenants

Opportunities1. Potential to Leverage PACE for Increased Sustainability

2. Outreach to Industrial Tenants / Developers

3. Regional Economy Improving

Threats

1. Statewide Sustainability Requirements Increase Industrial Development Cost

2. County is Seeing Negative Net Migration

3. Job Growth Rate in Bottom 20% of California Counties

SWOT Analysis

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026645

SWOT ANALYSIS – THOUSAND OAKS BOULEVARD SPECIFIC PLAN AREA

Strengths

1. Easy access to 101 Freeway / 23 Highway

2. Main Commercial Thoroughfare For City


4. Several Successful Major Retail Centers (e.g., The Lakes, The Oaks, Auto Mall)

5. Sizeable Underutilized Parcels & Some Vacant Land

6. Existing Specific Plan

Weaknesses

1. Measure E Restricts/Complicates

Development

2. Some Awkward Parcel Configurations

(Small / Narrow)

3. Overall Fragmentation of Properties

& Ownership

4. Older Commercial Structures

5. Developed as independent traditional

strip centers (impediment to pedestrian orientation)

6. Infrastructure & Pedestrian Improvements needed

Opportunities

1. Integrate With Civic Arts Plaza as New Focal Point

2. Developer Interest on Identified Opportunity Sites

3. Leverage Development Opportunity Reserve / Other E.D. Tools for Future Development

4. Utilize technology based tools (e.g. OppSites) to promote specific opportunity sites and/or specific

plan area

Threats

1. Adjacent residential uses (complicates acceptance of denser development)

2. Diversion of traffic to other streets

SWOT Analysis

Thousand Oaks EDSP


9026646

Strengths

1. Proximate to 101 Freeway / 23 Highway

2. Along Main Commercial Thoroughfare For City

3. Support from City Council / Staff for Increased

Development

4. Sizeable Underutilized Parcels & Some Vacant

Land

5. Existing Specific Plan (Civic Arts Plaza SP)

6. High Levels of City Ownership (~49%)

7. Existing Attractions (Theatre / Performing Arts

Center)

Weaknesses

1. Measure E Restricts/Complicates Development

2. Steep Topography; in Some Areas >25% gradient

3. Some Awkward Parcel Configurations (Small /

Narrow)

4. No Cohesive Circulation System for Multimodal

Transportation

5. Not Pedestrian friendly

Opportunities

1. Developer Interest on Identified Opportunity Sites

2. Leverage Development Opportunity Reserve /

Other E.D. Tools for Future Development

3. Utilize technology based tools (e.g. OppSites,

digiConversationTM) to promote specific

opportunity sites and broaden public support for

specific projects.

4. Create Mixed-Use Zoning to Accommodate a

Variety of Land Uses and attract Millennials

5. Expand Public Programming Options at

Performing Arts Center (potential with Cal

Lutheran Drama Department?)

Threats

1. Adjacent residential uses (complicates

acceptance of denser development)

SWOT ANALYSIS – DOWNTOWN/CIVIC ARTS

SWOT Analysis

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6. CASE STUDIES & LESSONS LEARNED

Case Studies & Lessons Learned

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PURPOSE OF CASE STUDIES

In evaluating the merits of new economic strategies, there are often valuable lessons that can belearned from the experience of other similar communities who have faced economic challenges andachieved great success.

Based on input from community members and the Consultants prior experience, several examplesof comparable cities with successful implementation strategies were examined to understand thechallenges they faced, the decisions they made and the lessons they learned, as well as providingreal life examples for Thousand Oaks to follow.

Specific Examples include:

• Leveraging Biotech Cluster – Describes the successful development of a major biotech cluster inthe La Jolla/Torrey Pines area of San Diego County, leveraging off of a single large biotech firmbeginning in the late 1980’s.

• Creating a Dynamic New Downtown - Discusses how the City of Brea created a new mixed-use“downtown gathering” area away from the successful regional mall.

• Creating Attractive High Density Housing – Summarizes how the predominately single familysuburban community of Pleasanton in northern California provided new housing opportunities formillennial workforce.

• Downtown Revitalization – Provides an overview of how the city of Scottsdale, AZ has met thechallenge of attracting new high technology industry and its workforce to a suburban community.

• Repositioning of Existing Retail Centers- Describes how a highly successful retail center inScottsdale, AZ, the Scottsdale Fashion Mall, is being redeveloped to add residential andcommercial uses to high-end experiential retail in response to changing retail market trends tomaintain its position as a premier retail/entertainment destination.

• Attracting New Technology – Shows how the City of Carpinteria has built a cluster of hightechnology, by attracting companies away from Santa Barbara and enabling them to affordexpansion that has added close to 1,000 new jobs.


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LEVERAGING BIOTECH INDUSTRY

La Jolla - City of San Diego

Introduction

Like Thousand Oaks and Amgen, the La Jolla area of San Diego was home to a major biotechcompany in the 1970’s, Hybritech. After it was acquired by E.J. Lily, many of the scientists did notwant to be part of a large corporate pharmaceutical company. Since the City of San Diego desiredto attract the biotech industry with the goal of creating a successful life science cluster. the City andother local non-profits/agencies worked together to achieve this vision.

Accomplishments

Today, San Diego’s biotech industry is responsible for nearly $9 billion in annual economic impactand employs over 44,000 people across 700 companies. According to San Diego Association ofGovernments, these companies have an estimated market value of nearly $25 billion.

Government Funding & Assistance

The following are approaches the City of San Diego and University of San Diego used to aid thegrowth of the biotech industry in the City:

• City conducted mission-oriented work for the US military

• City conducted phased clinical trials through the FDA

• City funded basic research which is typically carried out by universities such as the University ofSan Diego

• City involved in making land use decisions incentivizing industrial development on City-ownedland

• City allowed for natural industry growth through taking a “hands-off” approach regarding industrycontrols

• City worked collaboratively with biotech businesses in the area to address water shortages forimposition of appropriate policies and restrictions

• City created an ombudsman position to interact with local biotech companies for fast trackpermitting/processing, the development of long term relationships, and City/industry collaborationto make quick informed decisions in times of need

• City staff supported industry growth by speaking at events and taking part in visits to WashingtonD.C. and elsewhere to advocate for their local biotech research community


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University of San Diego Assistance

The following are approaches theUniversity of San Diego used to aid thegrowth of the biotech industry in the City ofSan Diego:

• University of San Diego’s rank as a topten scientific research program in thecountry created collaboration withbiotech industry, drew creative andeducated members of biotechworkforce in region, and helped withfounding of innovative biotechcompanies and products

• Between 1978-1993, half a dozenbiotech forms were created on aplatform relating to UCSD.

Lessons Learned

Thousand Oaks needs to be proactive with Amgen and the business community so that it canbenefit from tremendous skill sets associated with professionals in the biotech industry.


Timeline of Biotech Industry Growth

Below is a timeline of the growth of biotech companies in the San Diego area that branched from

Hybritech’s founding in the 1970s:

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Introduction

Smart Growth advocates an increase in density and the practice of pedestrian-oriented mixed-usedevelopment in existing downtown areas across the U.S.

The Birch Street development in Brea, CA embodies several Smart Growth principles: it is a mixed-use with residential and mixed-income project located in an existing downtown area, and there washeavy public involvement in its development due a desire for a community gathering place.

The entire Birch Street development contains 350,000 square feet of regional and neighborhoodeconomic uses, including 19,000 square feet of office space, twenty restaurants, as well as sixty-twomulti-family loft apartments, forty town-homes, and ninety-six single-family garden-style residentialhomes.

It has won numerous awards, including the 2001 California Redevelopment Association Award ofExcellence in Community Revitalization, The California Downtown Association Crystal Eagle Awardfor Physical Improvement, and The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment AgencyAward for Excellence in Program Innovation and Community Revitalization.

The development contains three distinct nodes: the Gateway Center, the Ash Street Cottages, andthe Birch Street Promenade.

The Gateway Center was the original development with 185,000 square feet of neighborhoodcommercial uses on its ground floor, as well as second story office space. Its anchor commercialtenants include a grocery retailer, a pharmacy, a Cost Plus World Market, and a furniture store.

The Birch Street Promenade is pedestrian-oriented retail and entertainment district. It featuresspecial street and sidewalk paving, high-quality landscaping, and pedestrian-scale lighting. Its publicareas include a town plaza, fountains, and public art. It features specialty shops, restaurants, andcafes.

It has two movie theatres, and high-end apparel retail stores. Its second floor contains sixty-two loft-style apartments. The Birch Street Promenade also contains a police annex. The Birch StreetPromenade contains three plazas, which each feature public art and street furniture amenities.

The Ash Street Cottages are ninety-six garden style cottages arranged in a traditional neighborhoodlayout. They are within walking distance to the shops, movie theatres, and restaurants of TheGateway Center and the Birch Street Promenade.


CREATING A NEW DYNAMIC DOWNTOWN

City of Brea- Birch Street

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The City of Brea developed a very specificplan in 1998 to guide the Birch StreetDevelopment with very prescriptivedevelopment criteria. The document isdesigned in a very visually appealing manner,with simple layman’s descriptions and images.

Its intended audience is to the potentialmerchants who would inhabit the retail portionof the development. All of the elements andmany of the thumbnail sketches can beobserved in the development today. The BirchStreet Promenade of the development is aregional draw, and the development as awhole is a fully realized implementation of thepublic’s vision.

Its appearance is heterogeneous, and the AshStreet Cottages incorporate many of thedesign features of the housing styles that werepopular during the first phase of Brea’sdevelopment. The Birch Street Developmentis truly a functioning mixed-use area, and it ispopulated at all hours of the day.

The Environmental Protection Agency used Birch Street as a case study for Smart Growth. In the case study, the EPA said that the Birch Street Development is considered highly successful because of its “effective and innovative City government gaining and using citizen input through ‘Brea by Design’ workshops, and working with experienced urban developers.”

Lessons Learned

Thousand Oaks can create a successful mixed-use “downtown” that meets the needs of allresidents through integrated planning and proper zoning/development standards.


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Introduction

Over the last half-century, Pleasanton hasevolved into a bedroom suburb, and morerecently into a major employment center in theBay Area region. At each phase of itseconomic cycle, Pleasanton took strategicsteps to ensure that growth and developmentwere managed carefully to maintain the City’shigh quality of life.

As an additional strategic step, the City ofPleasanton desired to update its existingEconomic Development Strategic Plan due tochanging conditions since the February 2007Plan, including a national recession andrecovery and the dissolution of RedevelopmentAgencies in 2012.

Lessons Learned

Thousand Oaks is very similar to Pleasanton,

growing up as a single family community, but

successfully transitioning to the new economy

by providing residents with a wide range of

housing opportunities and helping attract white

collar employers.


CREATING ATTRACTIVE HIGH-DENSITY HOUSING

City of Pleasanton – Downtown Housing

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Introduction

Like Thousand Oaks, the City of Scottsdale,AZ is an upper income suburb in a majorurban metro area. Known for excellent singlefamily neighborhoods and quality of life,Downtown Scottsdale is now becoming one ofArizona’s hottest places for new high densityapartment and condominium housing, officeand retail/dining space.

"It's becoming very attractive for technologycompanies," said Danielle Casey, Scottsdale'seconomic-development director. "Thoseare generally higher-wage jobs with a skilledworkforce.” Such new residents/workers havea tendency to boost retail sales along with thedining and nightlife scene. This in turn drawsmore activity to the area.

Accomplishments – Scottsdale Downtown Redevelopment

Several development projects are proposed inand around Old Town, with construction ofapartments, townhomes, and restaurants/nightclubs expected to begin early next year.These new developments are designed toattract a younger and more technologyoriented workforce for the 21st centuryeconomy.


DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION

City of Scottsdale, Arizona – Downtown Redevelopment

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Square One Concepts plan to make majorrenovations to the former AlphaGraphicsbuilding, with “Bourbon & Bones” beingintroduced as an upscale chophouse thatholds more than 75 types of bourbon on theirdrink list. They plan to be open for dinner only,with a 3pm-1am schedule.

JLB Partners, a Texas based developer, plansto demolish an existing Red Lobster restaurantuse this to build a five story high-endapartment complex. The 365-unit complex isbeing designed to home the individuals thatare coming to fulfill new technology positionsbeing created in the metro area.

Lessons LearnedLike the town of Pleasanton, Scottsdale has

learned to transition its downtown area to

attract "new economy” employment by creating

24/7 entertainment activity, and housing for a

wide range of household types.


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Introduction

First opened in 1961 as an open-air center that featured Goldwater’s Department Store and ahandful of specialty shops, the Scottsdale Fashion Center has grown into the largest mall in Arizonawith ~2 million SF of retail, over 225 retailers/tenants/services, 5 anchor tenants and a 14-screenHarkins Theatres cinema. Near the end of 2016, Macerich Co. announced a phased project tofurther enhance their upscale regional luxury shopping mall.

Scottsdale Fashion Square Phased Development

The first phase of the project will update and redefine the luxury wing of the mall, currently anchoredby Neiman Marcus, with a new entrance and arrival point, two-story storefronts, and outward facingretail and restaurants. Construction is planned for completion in the fall of 2018.

Macerich Co. also plans to add mixed use elements on a seven-acre parcel immediately north of themall potentially consisting of high-end residential units, hospitality uses, a class A office building anda high-end organic grocer. The hope is that the addition of high-end experiential retail componentsand more diverse land uses in the area will maximize the mall’s sales potential, further extent itscustomer base, and cement its position as the heart of upscale Scottsdale.

“This multi-phased project is part of Macerich’s long-term strategy, as well as the center’s own history, of continually reinvesting in irreplaceable retail destinations.“

- Robert Perlmutter, Macerich CEO


REPOSITIONING OF EXISTING RETAIL CENTERS

City of Scottsdale, Arizona – Macerich Co. Scottsdale Fashion Square

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Mixed Use Development Component

In 2016, Macerich Co. requested zoning and building elevation changes to parcels north of, andwithin, the Scottsdale Fashion Square to enable mixed-use projects consistent with their long termvision for the site.

Currently capped at 65 feet, Macerich’s request would increase the building height limit to 150 feet,increase floor area ratio from 2.48 to 3.2 and would allow up to 25 dwelling units per acre. Thesubmitted plans call for land use flexibility with the hope of keeping in-line with DowntownScottsdale’s evolving character.

Potential mixed-use additions to the Scottsdale Fashion Mall include high-end residential units,hospitality uses, a class A office building and a high-end organic grocer.

The mall’s transition to a more concentrated neighborhood entertainment & commercial center is inkeeping with Scottsdale’s planning vision and criteria for the downtown area and high levelconsumer shifts towards mixed-use/work/play projects that provide one-stop shopping andpedestrian connectivity.

“These policies should assist in the continued transformation of Downtown into a highly efficient mixed-use center and complete urban neighborhood community where residents and visitors can live, work, and thrive.”- Macerich Co. submission to City of Scottsdale


Lessons LearnedThe Oaks Mall, owned by Macerich Co., is similar to the Scottsdale Fashion Square in that it too will

need to adapt to the changing retail environment in order to ensure continued future success and

growth of the City’s sales tax base. With extensive freeway frontage and large open parking areas, the

Oaks Mall and surrounding area would be a prime candidate for mixed-use development, which could

help recharacterize the surrounding area, support and enhance the existing retail center, and

incentivize needed private investment and development to create future jobs and taxes.

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ATTRACTING NEW TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY

City of Carpinteria

Carpinteria is a small oceanfront city in southeast Santa Barbara County with approximately 14,000residents. Despite its small size, it contains headquarters to numerous companies including AgilentTechnologies subsidiary Dako, silicone manufacturer Nusil, restaurant management firm CKE, andProcore Technologies. Lynda.com (purchased by LinkedIn in 2015) also leases research anddevelopment space and has expanded their facilities multiple times.

Relocation of Procore to Carpinteria

Founded in Montecito by tech entrepreneur Tooey Courtemanche, Procore Technologies makesand provides cloud-based construction management software that allows construction professionalsto collaborate on projects from internet-connected devices. Procore’s software keeps all drawings,contracts, and documents synced and in a central location (cloud); their model digitizes andstreamlines the construction management process. Procore Technologies has made the Inc. 5000multiple times.

Unable to attract employees in Santa Barbara, given the cost of living, the company moved its 70-person operation to Carpinteria, CA in 2014, and has since grown its staff to over 500 employees.


Lessons LearnedProcore’s (and numerous other companies’) move to Ventura County, and the subsequent tech boom

in cities such as Carpinteria, demonstrates the opportunity for Thousand Oaks and other communities

to benefit from new technology industries, by creating an environment that is attractive to business

owners and their workforce.

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7. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS & APPROACHES

Economic Development Tools & Approaches

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NEXT GENERATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Today, economic development requires a bit of alchemy, whereby a blend of finance, economics,real estate, land use, politics, promotion, and communication is needed to create and implementsuccessful projects. However, the fundamental and unchanged aim of economic development is tomake communities better through transactions that improve a given city’s image, quality of life, andeconomic conditions. Although the goals of economic development have not changed, the strategiesand methods used to attain those goals certainly have, primarily due to technologic advancements &digitization.

The way people communicate and how information is processed about projects has changeddramatically. Even the real estate industry, once the bastion of brokers working the phones, hasembraced technology as a basis for showcasing opportunities and communicating on sites,transacting and elevating real estate to its highest and best use, which can result in increased taxproduction and better jobs. To direct these activities in a manner that results in beneficial projects,requires communities to develop and adopt a strategic approach to economic development thatfocuses on key DESTINATIONs, embraces DIGITAL based outreach tools, and properlyincentivizes DEVELOPMENT.


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Digital

OppSites (https://oppsites.com/) is a digital economicdevelopment marketplace, where the public and privatesectors work together to promote up- zoned properties andspecial tax districts by exposing these “opportunity sites”online to thousands of real estate investors and developerswho have registered their interest in project categories (e.g.mixed use, residential, transit-oriented, retail). OppSitesenables real estate professionals to find developmentopportunities, learn about local priorities and incentives, followpreferred cities/target areas, and the engage in an onlineconversation with local economic development leaders aboutthose opportunities using a proprietary instant messagingsystem.

digiConversationTM is another technology based communityoutreach tool that has become a critical piece of the economicdevelopment implementation puzzle. This technology usessocial media in conjunction with an interactive project websiteenabling cities to reach more constituents and expand projectawareness; thereby creating transparency. Digital communityoutreach is now a must to gain clarity and generate broaderunderstanding and support for key economic developmentprojects in your community.


Destination

Due to changing technology and consumer habits, retail

sales can take place anywhere and incentivizing people to the

community by creating a sense of place has never been more

essential to an economic development strategy. Specifically, for

retail, “placemaking” today is about generating trips from activities

that can’t as easily or acceptably be done on the internet (food,

exercise, medical, education/training, special events). As such,

the economic metric of sales per square foot is less and less

relevant, replaced by unique trips generated as a valuablebenchmark of potential sales tax generation. This meansthat developing and investing in a tenant mix, which generates

frequent and substantial levels of trips, is a key strategy behind

placemaking and economic development implementation.

Utilization of digital resources in an economic development strategy can help promote key economic

development opportunity sites, connect and communicate with developers/stakeholders, navigate

political hurdles, and increase transparency on economic development projects in your community. The

following is a summary of some technology based tools:

https://oppsites.com/

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLBOX

In addition to technology based tools, cities also have 9 basic tools, as shown on the diagram below,to utilize in the pursuit of successful economic development projects. This section highlights a few ofthe key economic development tools as shown in the graphic below.


Development

As communities’ grapple with creating successful economic

development strategies, there are new recently state approved

tools available to incentivize development. California now

allows special districts such as Enhanced Infrastructure

Financing Districts (EIFD), which is summarized in the next

section, to utilize tax increment to pay for or finance

infrastructure that can induce private investment in higher

density mixed use, transit oriented development, affordable

housing and viable placemaking, while increasing taxes,

creating jobs, and improving a communities’ quality of life.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

Below is a highlight of a few of the key economic development tools shown on the previous page.

Real Estate and Property

Public agency land is often under-utilized, offering the potential to increase value & fiscal revenues(e.g. property tax, sales tax, TOT, etc.). Local government-owned real estate can be leveraged toincrease market/reuse value and help stimulate and foster economic development projects. Thetypes of real estate owned land can include: former redevelopment Agency (“RDA”) properties, realestate with a public use (civic centers, fire stations, recreation), surplus property (city, school district,utility, other), rights of way/streets/alleys, and parking lots/structures to name a few.

For the City of Thousand Oaks, the use of existing real estate owned by the City and/or RDA couldbe leveraged in its Downtown to direct private sector investment toward development opportunitiesand quality mixed-use projects that can help stimulate economic development and sustainablegrowth. Primary example is city/former RDA property particularly in the Downtown area.

Land Use/Zoning - Development Opportunity Reserve (“DOR”)

When cities approve specific plan updates that allowed upzoning or greater development potential,it most often results in windfall profits to existing land owners and does not stimulate economicdevelopment as much as desired.

DOR is a land use/zoning strategy that provides increased density or other variances to specialzones within the City in exchange for specific community benefits. By placing increaseddevelopment potential in an area wide “Reserve Account”, rather than applied on a per-parcel basis,the City can assure there is an incentive to attract the desired new development and the value ofDOR density can go to desired projects as opposed to existing owners. In summary, DOR canprovide:

• Greater control over who gets additional density. Enables additional density to be utilized bythe buyer/developer instead of assigning density to existing owners via Specific Plan

• Additional density awarded for projects that will incentivize new development in financiallysignificant ways in exchange for contributions toward or actually constructing infrastructureand/or community amenities from a pre-approved list.

• Enhance the targeted objectives of a Specific Plan because it controls the amount andallocation of additional density

• Can be used for all project types: Hotel, Retail, Office, Mixed-Use, Residential

For the City of Thousand Oaks, this is a specialized land use tool that can be utilized in concert witha Specific Plan to assign density, parking requirement reductions or other incentives for preferreduses (e.g. mixed use, retail) to facilitate the revitalization efforts of the Downtown and/or ThousandOaks Boulevard Specific Plan area.


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Property Assessed Clean Energy Finance Program (PACE)

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing programs encourage and enable property

owners to obtain low-cost, long-term financing for energy efficiency building improvements without

spending otherwise needed capital for their business. PACE loans qualify for solar energy systems,

heating and cooling system upgrades, window replacement, and insulation upgrades. Some of the

benefits of utilizing PACE are as follows:

• Enables cities and counties to authorize low cost financing (up to 100% of project costs)

to existing and forthcoming property owners and developers.

• Cities can help existing properties and businesses. PACE commercial programs help

commercial property owners and developers implement renewable energy and energy &

water efficiency projects.

• Municipalities can achieve sustainability while also realizing numerous benefits such as

job creation, growth in property tax and other revenue, and shift communities toward

regulatory compliance with SB 350.

• Commercial PACE can also be an important early project startup program

for Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFD).

For the City of Thousand Oaks, a significant percentage of industrial properties within the Rancho

Conejo Industrial Park area are older and functionally obsolete buildings for today’s industrial

tenants. PACE financing can help kickstart a program to help existing property owners upgrade

and/or renovate their properties thereby increasing NOI and satisfying compliance with

environmental standards imposed by SB 350. There are potential PACE financing program partners

that the city could engage in terms of an outreach program to expose local building owners to

commercial PACE loans.


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Tax and Revenue- Based Financing

A common tool used for targeted economic development is the concept of development fee waiversor tax rebates (e.g. Hotel TOT or sales tax rebates that are performance based) and are negotiatedon a case by case basis only to those projects that produce sufficient economic benefits. Localgovernments can utilize financing mechanisms such as site-specific tax revenue pledges (SSTR),lease-leaseback structures, and lease revenue bonds as a method to pay for various publicimprovements. A short summary of these individual financing mechanisms is provided below:

A. Site Specific Tax Revenue Pledge (SSTR)

1. New tax revenues (e.g. sales tax, hotel/TOT) generated by a specific project can be re-

invested by a city to reduce a financial feasibility gap

2. Revenue amounts are calculated and contributed each year based on actual increment

of public revenues produced that year by the project

3. Recent examples include a TOT (hotel tax) pledge for a hotel project in Redondo Beach

and a sales tax pledge for retail mall in Victorville

A. Lease-leaseback financing

1. Lease/sublease of asset between two public agencies enables lease payments to be

leveraged (borrowed)

2. Example: Existing building facility, lease payments can start immediately without the

need to fund capitalized interest

A. Lease revenue bonds

1. Public agency income stream (e.g. utility, parking) can be arranged in a long-term lease

obligation and leveraged

2. Example: Lease of a city utility to a Utility Authority, where lease payments fund the

bond payments for public infrastructure improvements to support a major retail center in

South Gate

For the City of Thousand Oaks, these financing mechanisms can create opportunities to leveragetax and revenue-based financing to resolve financial feasibility gaps on a project-specific basiswithin identified economic development opportunity areas such as the Downtown and/or ThousandOaks Boulevard Specific Plan area to incentivize sales or other tax producing development.


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Special Districts - Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (“EIFD”)

California law allows the creation of various specialized districts that apply economic developmentprograms on an area-wide scale versus site-specific level, which may use taxes, assessments,exactions, and other funding sources for projects in the district. Special districts may include:parking districts/parking authorities, business improvement districts (BID), property-based businessimprovement districts (PBID), community facilities districts (CFD), tourism improvement districts(TID), and enhanced infrastructure financing districts (EIFD).

In February 1, 2012, Governor Jerry Brown dissolved redevelopment agencies, removing a powerfulproperty tax increment financing tool from a local municipality’s economic development toolbox.Authorized by SB 628 and AB 313, EIFDs were special districts created to offer a new platform tofinance an array of economic development projects, including sustainable infrastructure andaffordable housing.

EIFDs are independent government entities, which are governed by a Public Financing Authority(PFA) comprised of participating governments and members of the public and are authorized to useproperty-based Tax Increment Financing (TIF) within specifically defined geographic areas. EIFDshave flexibility to use an expansive financing toolkit such as property tax increment fromparticipating taxing entities (except school districts), user fees/development fees, federal and stategrants/loans, private investment, and bond issuances. The purpose of an EIFD is to financeconstruction of regional infrastructure, affordable housing, transit priority projects, projects thatimplement a Sustainable Communities Strategy, and other projects of “communitywide significance.”

For the City of Thousand Oaks, potential opportunities for the application of special districts mayinclude CFD and/or EIFDs to leverage increased property tax from new development for necessaryinfrastructure improvements and/or maintenance /services in the Downtown, Thousand OaksBoulevard Specific Plan area and/or Rancho Conejo Industrial Park.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC APPROACHES

Generally, there are three basic preferred strategic methods/approaches that communities canconsider to select a preferred path and specific tools to foster economic development activities andgrowth. Each of these methods/approaches show below require a community to consider its specificeconomic development priorities, tolerance for risk, economic profile, and overall political philosophyon the best way to achieve economic sustainability:

1. Focus on utilizing new Economic Development tools (EIFD/PACE/DOR)

2. Target revenue generating projects (sales tax/density)

3. Preliminary status quo approach (existing tools)

A summary of each of these aforementioned methods/approaches are on the following pages.


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1. Utilize New Economic Development Tools

The utilization of evolving economic development (E.D.) tools (e.g. EIFD, PACE, DORTM) providesa new platform to finance economic development projects (e.g. public infrastructure, affordablehousing, industrial structures) to induce private investment, create jobs, and achieve compliancewith recently approved statewide environmental standards as detailed in regulations such as SB350 and SB 32.

In order to benefit from the new tools, the City of Thousand Oaks ought to orient a strategytowards sustainability & energy reliability/efficiency, and to the extent possible, incentivizeregional cooperation & partnerships with the private sector, to expand their eligibility for State andFederal funding sources such as Cap & Trade and Proposition 1.

This approach can also be coupled with asset-based strategies such as acquisition/disposition ofpublic property for public/private purposes and leveraging city-owned properties.

Upside

Thousand Oaks can have a high level of control in directing the use of E.D. tools and creatingpartnerships with public agencies, as needed, for financial contributions. It also allows the City toincrease sustainability and get a head start on compliance with CA environmental standardsThese tools can also attract and catalyze significant private sector investment, which contributesto creating a long-term framework for community revitalization and growth within the Downtownand/or Rancho Conejo Industrial Park.

Downside

Implementation of new ED tools, such as an EIFD, will require public resources such as allocationof future property tax revenues and administrative support. The City may also have to relinquishsome control to the County or other public taxing entity when it comes to establishing an EIFD. Inmany cases, these new ED tools will also require a public vote. Evaluating these new ED tools inconcert with any prospective economic development project will be key to determining what toolsare best suited for the City to utilize.

Compatible Tools

• Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFD)

• Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing Program (PACE)

• Development Opportunity Reserve (DORTM)

• Digital community outreach programs (e.g., digiConversation)

• OppSites (Economic Development Marketplace)


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2. Target Revenue Generating Projects

Targeting revenue generating projects allows cities to generate more tax revenues for the GeneralFund, and can be used for attracting specific private development.

To pursue this strategy, Thousand Oaks must identify sites for revenue generating projects, such asnew hotel development to increase Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and development of type retailand auto dealers to increased sales tax.

This approach uses tools such as sales tax reimbursement agreements for project specificsales/uses tax & utility taxes, lease /leaseback financing & impact fee and business tax waivers,such as business licenses and development impact fees.

Upside

Using this approach, Thousand Oaks would be able to pursue multiple transaction formats andexplore multiple options for revenue generating. Moreover, this approach primarily consists ofexisting/well-known tools/statutes that cities are familiar with, which reduces the level of publicresources required.

If successful, projects implemented through this approach can significantly change communities, forthe better, with respect to public perception, jobs, taxes, and services. This approach can also beused in tandem with Approach #1 – Utilize New ED Tools.

Downside

As this approach may involve private sector assistance / collaboration, project subsidies can bepolitically controversial and increase project risk. This approach can also trigger prevailing wage,additional reporting requirements under AB 562 (Government Code 53083), and political activitysuch as elections, public initiatives, & CEQA litigation that can stall or stop an E.D. project fromsucceeding.

Compatible Tools

• Site Specific Tax Revenue Reimbursement (e.g. Sales/uses, utility, TOT)

• Lease-leaseback Financing

• Impact fee and business tax waivers

• Direct project financial assistance


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3. Status Quo Approach

In order to benefit from a status quo strategy, Thousand Oaks ought to focus and rely on existingtools, such as zoning and land use controls to direct and incentivize preferred development typesand avoid direct initiatives and strategies to induce private investment and increase taxes.

This approach requires a resolution, possibly through a General Plan Amendment, on the significantimpediment Measure E has on new development in City of Thousand Oaks. This allows newprojects to be conditioned by the City of Thousand Oaks via normal public approval processes, andallows some control over actual results such as specific tenants and land uses.

Upside

Using this approach poses no immediate financial risk to the City and allows City to conditionprojects via project approvals. Although there may be some significant upfront costs associated withthis approach, as related to planning and design through CEQA & public hearings, it will require lessfuture public resource commitments.

Downside

Using a more neutral role to economic development limits the City’s ability to place precise limits onprojects such as the mix and quantity of specific uses, number of developed units, and precise typeof tenants. Overall, it often involves less direct public agency input on projects/properties in the Cityand potentially slows the pace of E.D. growth as a project’s success will be subject to market forces.Moreover, any constraints/challenges identified by City may not be resolved such as parkingproperty upgrades, improved mix of uses or tenants, and downtown revitalization.

Compatible Tools

• Expedited processing of entitlements and permits

• Specific Plans

• Development Agreements (DA)


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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY AREAS & TOOLS


Opportunity

AreasPotential ED Tools

(Hybrid of 3 Preferred Approaches)Sample Case Studies

Rancho

Conejo

Industrial Park

• Property Assessed Clean Energy

Finance Program (PACE)

• Development Opportunity Reserve

• Direct Project Assistance

• OppSites (ED marketplace to

promote site opportunities)

• Enhanced Infrastructure Financing

District (EIFD)

• City of La Verne (adopted intention to

establish EIFD, pursuing density

bonuses under SP for TOD project.

• San Diego East County EDC –

considering EIFD/PACE

• Cities of La Verne, Placentia, Poway,

Oxnard utilize OppSites to promote

site opportunities via RFQ and/or

special districts (EIFD, Specific Plans)

Thousand

Oaks

Boulevard

Specific Plan

Area

• Land use/zoning - Site specific tax

revenue reimbursement

• Fee/tax waivers


(DORTM)




District (EIFD)

• Burbank Media Overlay District Zone

(1991-2016) – assigns more density to

specific projects that meet community

goals (e.g. provides pre-approved list

of infrastructure and/or amenities)

• City of El Monte – Downtown

(Evaluating DORTM as part of

Downtown SP)

• City of Buellton – Avenue of Flags

District (Evaluating DORTM with SP as

part of overall ED strategy)

Thousand

Oaks

Downtown

• Expand footprint of property

owners through joint

ventures/acquisition

• Expedited processing of

entitlements/permits


(DORTM)



• digiConversationTM: digital

community outreach to engage

and solicit feedback from public on

revitalization process


District (EIFD)

• City of Azusa – Downtown Mixed Use

(considering joint venture, using

owned property & Development

Agreement)

• City of Santa Clarita Old Town

Newhall (used owned property, rebate

of taxes / revenues, infrastructure

improvements)

• City of Poway – utilizing digital

community outreach as tool to solicit

community feedback on specific plan

and revitalization of major commercial

corridor

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8. RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTION PLAN

Recommendations & Action Plan

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTION PLAN

The following are the steps City of Thousand Oaks should consider in implementing their economicdevelopment strategy:

1. Review E.D. approaches for Cities, aka, the four doors of economic development(Section 6)

1. Focus on utilizing new E.D. tools (EIFD/PACE/DOR)

2. Target revenue generating projects (sales tax/density)

3. Preliminary status quo approach (existing tools)

4. Hybrid approach

2. Target key areas & determine Thousand Oaks’ goals for E.D. strategy


• Thousand Oaks Boulevard Specific Plan

• Downtown focus areas around Civic Arts Plaza

3. Gauge Thousand Oaks’ tolerance for risk

• Is there comfort partnering with private sector?

• Constituency/policy issues if strategy is publicly funded

• How much is City willing to risk?

4. Select preferred/best approach for each key area

• Update/modify planning & E.D. documents

• Identify projects & implement E.D. strategy

5. Update/modify planning & E.D. documents as necessary

Given today’s economic challenges, the City is faced with a series of choices in planning for its long-term future:

• Does the City want to strategically identify and attract types of new multi-useretail/entertainment/resort concepts – or – focus more on retention of existing businesses?

• Does the City want to maintain plus pursue improved community services – or – conserveresources based on anticipated long-term cuts, particularly during the next economic downturn?

• Does the City want to pursue the status quo, characterized as a stabilized suburban retirementleaning community – or – to become a residential, live/work/play environment balanced bydifferent housing and work space facilities/amenities, more suited for multiple generations?

• Can the City develop strategic, effective and acceptable criteria for allocating scarce futureresidential and commercial development permits allowable under Measure E? For example,focusing increased density in certain areas within the City can transfer value to existinglandowners instead of preferred users or uses. A development opportunity oriented approachtends to increase value to owners or buyers willing to engage in redevelopment.


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Kosmont offers the following twelve economic development based recommendations to help the City

maintain its financial health and achieve future community economic and social vitality, such as

enhanced quality of life, job growth, support of the arts and a balanced economy with sustainable

neighborhoods. The recommendations are presented under the following categories: General

Implementation; Real Estate/Zoning; Public/Private Investment; and Education/Entrepreneurship.

General Implementation

1. Develop an “Opportunity Sites” approach to economic development.

a) Involve and inform community using digital community outreach (e.g. digiConversationTM) 1

b) Invite a broad audience of investors and developers. Utilize web-based platforms and

other tools to help promote existing and future economic development opportunities within

the City (e.g. OppSites, an online national economic development marketplace which

efficiently exposes cities to developers seeking investment opportunities that are

supported by communities).

2. Examine the creation of a Council Ad-Hoc committee to evaluate and implement the goals and

recommendations of the Economic Development Strategic Plan.

Real Estate/Zoning

3. Update the City’s understanding of Measure E as related to the allowable number of housing units

and limits on future development.

4. Review and/or update underlying policies and elements of the General Plan and/or specific plans,

as necessary, which can provide an opportunity for City to better plan for future community needs

(e.g. inclusion of an Economic Development or affordable housing Element).

5. Examine creation of a Development Opportunity ReserveTM (DORTM) 1 as a tool to:

• Give priority considerations to targeted business growth opportunities

• Require specified community benefit contributions (infrastructure, amenities, cultural,

other) in exchange for development rights

6. Consider allowing mixed-use development at major shopping centers to help replace the eventual

loss of larger department stores and big box retailers.

1 digiConversation and Development Opportunity Reserve (DOR) are Kosmont registered trademarks


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Public/Private Investment

7. Identify primary locations for accommodating future growth including less traditional residential

and commercial concepts that help create new job growth, and allowing new technology

companies to provide employment for all generations.

8. Support reinvestment/growth in key commercial centers and the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall to

secure, and grow and/or support major contributors to the tax base.

9. Improve infrastructure (e.g. sidewalks, intersections, building improvements) in the Rancho

Conejo Business Park to attract/retain larger high value technology companies and “last mile”

distribution facilities. Examine Enhanced Infrastructure Districts (“EIFD”) and Property Assessed

Clean Energy Finance Program (“PACE”) as tools to fund such improvements.

Education/Entrepreneurship

10. Consider investment in creation of new technology business opportunities by supporting

organizations like Ventura BioCenter, Hub101 805 Startups, and other similar groups.

11. Leverage California Lutheran University investment in downtown.

12. Consider creating an Innovation Campus/Research Park which can be coupled with workforce

housing and supporting commercial services, such as retail, restaurant, and hotel/conference

center.


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9. APPENDICES

Appendices

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APPENDIX TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Summary Demographic Data & Trends

2. Comparison Demographic Data

3. Population Breakdown Comparison

4. Household and Housing Data

5. Employment Base

6. Employment Concentration

7. Worker inflow/outflow

8. Per Capita Taxable Retail Sales

9. Cash registers vs. Wallets

10. Thousand Oaks General Fund

11. Office Market Overview

12. Industrial Market Overview

13. Retail Market Overview

14. Apartment Market Overview

15. Real Estate Market comparison

Appendices

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2016City of Thousand

Oaks

Ventura

County

Los Angeles

CountyCalifornia

Population 132,365 849,512 10,147,765 38,986,171

Households 48,100 273,149 3,321,508 13,029,292

Average HH Size 2.75 3.07 3.00 2.93

Median Age 42.8 37.0 35.4 35.8

% Hispanic Origin 19.1% 43.1% 49.0% 39.4%

Per Capita Income $49,336 $34,214 $28,656 $30,905

Median HH Income $104,090 $78,912 $57,190 $62,554

Average HH Income $136,414 $105,062 $85,730 $90,812

2016-2021 Annual Growth Rate

Population 0.62% 0.65% 0.65% 0.87%

Median HH Income 1.59% 2.14% 2.04% 2.73%

SUMMARY DEMOGRAPHIC DATA & TRENDS

City of Thousand Oaks has an older and wealthier population relative to Ventura County, Los

Angeles County, and California. The average household size in Thousand Oaks is lower than those

in Ventura County, Los Angeles County and the State.

Despite higher wages, medium incomes in Thousand Oaks are projected to grow less quickly than

those in Ventura County, LA County and California. Thousand Oaks’ population is projected to grow

at a similar rate to Ventura County and Los Angeles County, but slower than the State.

Appendices

Source: ESRI Business Analyst

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2016

City of

Thousand

Oaks

City of

Santa

Clarita

City of VenturaCity of

Oxnard

City of Simi

Valley

City of

Moorpark

Population 132,365 183,882 109,957 205,119 127,462 36,241

Households 48,100 61,299 41,511 51,170 42,010 10,949

Average HH Size 2.75 2.98 2.59 3.98 3.02 3.31

Median Age 42.8 37.0 39.7 30.9 38.8 35.6

% Hispanic Origin 19.1% 31.6% 35.8% 75.4% 26.4% 35.2%

Per Capita Income $49,336 $35,863 $33,474 $19,730 $37,995 $37,577

Median HH Income $104,090 $86,455 $66,290 $59,610 $92,264 $101,209

Average HH Income $136,414 $106,947 $86,701 $78,044 $114,506 $124,186

2016-2021 Annual Growth

Rate

Population 0.62% 0.77% 0.60% 0.65% 0.62% 0.83%

Median HH Income 1.59% 2.28% 2.95% 1.74% 2.12% 1.18%

COMPARISON DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

Among neighboring cities in Ventura County, Thousand Oaks has smaller average household size,

older median age, and higher income population.

Appendices


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POPULATION BREAKDOWN COMPARISON

The City of Thousand Oaks median age is significantly higher than the statewide average, as shown

in the tables below. In addition, the City is aging much faster, with larger percentages in all groups

over age 34, and especially in the age 65+ group, which has grown 50% in the last five years.

Thousand Oaks is also under-represented with respect to the Millennial generation (age 21-34).

The City has just 15% of total population in the age group, 1/3rd lower than statewide average of

22%. This has important economic development implications as future job growth is going to be

concentrated in that segment.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

0-4 5-20 21-34 35-54 55-64 65+

Shar

e o

f St

ate

Po

pu

lati

on

CA Population Share by Age: 2000, 2010, 2016

2000 2010 2016

Statewide Population Breakdown

Appendices

Source: Nielsen Co.

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HOUSEHOLD AND HOUSING DATA

Thousand Oaks is predominantly a single family community and it has among the highest home

values in the greater Los Angeles area. Median home prices are close to $700,000 ($350 per

square foot), a 50% increase from 2012 levels. Over 1/3rd of the City is dedicated open space,

providing 15,000 acres and 152 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails for local residents. The

population density is very low at 2,300 people per square mile, 25% less than Simi Valley and 67%

less than Los Angeles.

Appendices

Source: Nielsen Co., Construction Industry Research Board, and Data Quick

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Appendices

EMPLOYMENT BASE

There are economic challenges, with Ventura County job creation still below 2007 pre-recessionlevels, as the County has grown much slower than most other areas of State. Most all job growthhas been limited to health care, social services, and personal service sectors. New homeconstruction remains depressed, and, as a result, the County has seen negative domestic migrationfor 12 years consecutively. Thousand Oaks has a diversified employment base, although bioscienceis a major industry sector. The largest employers are shown below:

1. Amgen – 5,000 employees

2. The Oaks Mall – 2,100 employees

3. Conejo Valley School District – 2,000 employees

4. Los Robles Hospital / Medical Center – 1,700 employees

5. Shire (former Baxter Bioscience) – 1,200 employees

6. Cal Lutheran University – 900 employees

7. Anthem Inc. – 900 employees


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EMPLOYMENT CONCENTRATION

The City of Thousand Oaks provides an estimated 64,000 jobs. The areas with the highest jobconcentrations in the City are within and proximate to the Rancho Conejo Industrial Park, NewburySquare Shopping Center and Conejo Valley High School, The Oaks Shopping Center, and the areaaround The Thousand Oaks Auto Mall, The North Ranch Mall, Westlake Plaza, The PromenadeMall, and Westlake High School.

Other areas with high job concentrations in the City include The Civic Arts Plaza, CaliforniaLutheran University, The Los Robles Hospital, and Thousand Oaks High School.

Of the 64,000 jobs in the City, about 47% are high paying, dispensing more than $3,333 per month.About 28% receive between $1,251 and $3,333 per month, while the remaining 25% receive $1,250per month or less. The primary job-types in the City are related to manufacturing (14.9%), healthcare and social assistance (13.2%), and retail (11.6%)

Appendices

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies

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WORKER INFLOW OUTFLOW

The City of Thousand Oaks is a net importer of workers; daily, about 39,500 workers commute outof the City and about 48,000 workers commute into the City. Thus the City gains about 8,500workers per day, during regular business hours.

Out of the 63,619 jobs in Thousand Oaks, about 15,700 (~25%) are filled by Thousand Oaksresidents.

Appendices

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies

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PER CAPITA TAXABLE RETAIL SALES

Thousand Oaks is the largest retail sales market in Ventura County, generating over $3.5 billion inannual sales. The graph below shows that even on a per capital basis, Thousand Oaks has thehighest retail sales of $27,00 per person per year.

Appendices


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CASH REGISTERS VS. WALLETS

The chart below demonstrates the per capita retail sales, as compared to the actual buying power of the local residents in each community. Thousand Oaks and Oxnard are the only communities that have a retail sales surplus indicating the residents of neighboring cities are traveling to Thousand Oaks to shop and are spending close to $400 million at local businesses.

Note: Spending potential based on number of households, average household income, and estimated

percentage of income spent on retail goods and services


Appendices

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THOUSAND OAKS GENERAL FUND

Over the past 10 years, Thousand Oaks has observed a decrease in total revenues and

expenditures, as growth has stopped and the recession resulted in significant staff reductions. In

2006, Thousand Oaks’ total revenues were $118,783,000; in 2015, they dropped to $99,646,000.

The chart below details total revenues and expenditure trends for the City of Thousand Oaks from

2006 to 2015

The majority of Thousand Oaks’ general fund revenues come from sales tax, with property taxes,

VLF in Lieu fees, franchise fees and transient occupancy tax accounting for most of the balance.

Thousand Oaks also receives some revenues from licensing and permitting, fines and forfeitures.

Thousand Oaks’ expenditures are comprised primarily of funds spent on general government, public

safety, transportation, and culture and leisure. Over the past 10 years, public safety and

transportation have consistently been the largest expenditures.

Appendices

Source: City of Thousand Oaks

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OFFICE MARKET OVERVIEW

Thousand Oaks office market is underperforming. Excluding owner-occupied buildings (i.e. Amgen) the office space inventory of 3.7 million square feet has had vacancy rates fluctuate between 15% and 20% over the past five years, with asking rents holding steady at $23 per square foot gross.

Appendices

Source: CoStar

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INDUSTRIAL MARKET OVERVIEW

Thousand Oaks industrial market is strong with low vacancy rates and increasing rents. Excluding owner-users) has approximately 700,000 square feet of inventory, and only represents about 1% of total Ventura County industrial space.

Appendices

Source: CoStar

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RETAIL MARKET OVERVIEW

The retail market in Thousand Oaks has had mixed performance in recent years, with vacancy ratesincreasing from 6% to 8% on the 5.6 million square feet of inventory, but with asking rents increasedby 25% since 2011 to over $30 per square foot triple net.

Appendices

Source: CoStar

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APARTMENT MARKET OVERVIEW

The Thousand Oaks apartment market is strong with low vacancy and sharply increasing rents.There are 4,500 rental units, representing 10% of County total

Appendices

Source: CoStar

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REAL ESTATE MARKET COMPARISON

As compared to neighboring communities in Ventura County, Thousand Oaks real estate market is very healthy with premium rent levels and comparable vacancy rates for most land uses.

Thousand

Oaks

Calabasas/

Westlake

Camarillo/ Point

Mugu

Moorpark/

Simi Valley

Oxnard/Port

Hueneme

Retail Rent $2.37 $2.34 $2.06 $1.63 $1.52

Retail

Vacancy

4.7% 4.1% 2.1% 8.6% 8.8%

Office Rent $2.14 $2.40 $1.76 $2.03 $2.02

Office

Vacancy

18.6% 11.9% 15.3% 20.0% 10.0%

Industrial

Rent

$0.85 $1.22 $0.66 $0.64 $0.58

Industrial

Vacancy

1.5% 3.9% 7.2% 5.1% 3.2%

Appendices

Source: CBRE, CoStar

thousand oaks economic development strategic plan

Documents